


New Beginnings

by 360loverpenguin



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Cassarian Month 2020 (Disney), F/M, Leaving Corona after returning to visit might be more painful than before, Set around three years after the series so Varian's around 20 here, Sort of a second part to Reunited, The prompt was "Run Away With me", but you don't have to read that first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23540236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/360loverpenguin/pseuds/360loverpenguin
Summary: The fact that all those memories together were now coming to a close settled a weight in Cass’ stomach that she couldn't quite shake.She had no doubt that she would see him again… but she had no idea how long it would be. She couldn't say she’d stay away more than a few months, but she also couldn't promise it’d be less than a few years before their eyes would meet again.Finally Varian stepped forward, pulling her into a tight hug, much like the night of her return. “I’ll miss you, Cassie.” Varian whispered, his voice breaking on her name, slightly muffled by the fabric of her cloak. “Don’t forget… to write.” he said, and Cass could hear his unspoken plea for him not to forget him. What they had. Something they couldn't name that both terrified and amazed her.
Relationships: Cassandra/Varian (Disney: Tangled)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 80





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> One of the bonus prompts for Cassarian month was Run Away With me, and I couldn't resist that, so here's a piece loosely tied to Reunited, but also works as a stand alone.
> 
> After visiting Corona for a few months, Cass has to bring herself to say goodbye to her family once more.
> 
> Enjoy!!

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to quell the burning feeling she knew could only be followed by tears. No. She wouldn't cry. This was her decision after all. And besides, she reasoned, it wasn't the first time she’d be leaving her home to travel, it should be easier.

Yet it felt like her heart was burning more now than it had when she first left Corona all those years ago. Perhaps that was all the time that had passed since then, blurring her memory of the day. Or it could have been that she was a different person now than she had been then; and since she returned to Corona six months ago… she had grown closer to what she could only call her family than she had ever hoped.

She shook her head slightly, wiping away the few fragmented tears that had managed to drip down her cheeks with her black glove. She had already said her tearful goodbye to her sister, to Rapunzel, and Eugene, this one shouldn't be any harder. Cass continued adjusting the leather strap fixing a large saddle bag to Fidella’s saddle, finally turning around once she was sure it was stable.

She flicked her gaze up to meet his, green colliding against blue and neither willing to look away. She had stopped in Old Corona, stealing a few final moments in the place she had once never dreamed of leaving, to pack up some supplies from Varian’s farm before she left again.

She hadn't said goodbye to him last time. Her brain reasoned it was because they hadn't been close, so instead she had written him a letter that soon became dozens between the two over the time she was away. This time though… saying goodbye felt near impossible. In the few minutes that they stood there staring at each other, neither seemed able to speak a word.

Over the past half year, they had grown close to each other, a fact that in part belonged still to the long faded letters they had shared. Cass had shared her trip with him on the half day’s journey back to Corona, and he had animatedly told her of all his experiments, and the events she had missed the day she returned. But more than that, they had laughed together as if they had never been apart.

Soon, Cass had became the one the drag him out of his lab when he got so consumed in a project he lost all semblance of time, and he the one to spend his free time watching her train the guards in her temporary lead when Eugene had gotten injured. The fact that all those memories together were now coming to a close settled a weight in Cass’ stomach that she couldn't quite shake.

She had no doubt that she would see him again… but she had no idea how long it would be. She couldn't say she’d stay away more than a few months, but she also couldn't promise it’d be less than a few years before their eyes would meet again.

Finally Varian stepped forward, pulling her into a tight hug, much like the night of her return. “I’ll miss you, Cassie.” Varian whispered, his voice breaking on her name, slightly muffled by the fabric of her cloak. “Don’t forget… to write.” he said, and Cass could hear his unspoken plea for him not to forget him. What they had. Something they couldn't name that both terrified and amazed her.

Cass held him as if he would disappear any second, which she knew he more or less would soon as she mounted her horse. There were so many things racing in her brain, yet she couldn't bring herself to say any of them, the pain of acknowledging that this really was their goodbye too much for her take on. She squeezed her eyes shut, biting down on her lip as she rested in his embrace for as long as she could.

After a few moments, much shorter than either of them wanted, Cass took a step back, Varian immediately turning and starting towards his house. His heart felt like a weight painfully pulling in his chest as he headed towards the stone steps leading him away from her. The tears that had been building since she told him she was leaving again all crashing over him at once, sliding silently down his cheeks.

He wasn't embarrassed to let her see them… he just couldn’t make this harder for either of them than it had to be. Didn't trust himself not to beg her to stay, even if he knew it was selfish, if he met her gaze again.

Before he had moved too far, he felt Cass’ hand gently grab his wrist. Confused, Varian turned back to face her, only to be met by her soft lips crashing against his. It was filled with all the love and longing that both had felt but neither had brought themselves to say.

Varian’s mind froze for a moment, before he returned the gentle kiss. He smiled slightly, shutting his eyes for a second as they stood there, the rest of the world that Cass would be travelling in mere hours flying out of grasp for a second. He felt Cass’ fingers move from where there had held his writs to intertwine with his, pulling him closer to her.

A bubbling sense of warmth grew in Varian’s chest, him relaxing fully into the kiss as they stood there, Varian practically feeling her lips drawn in a small smile as they pressed against his.

Seconds later, her lips gently pulled away from his, “Come with me.” she said, fighting back the crack in her voice as she did so.

What was she thinking? Asking him to leave his life in Corona behind, his father, his friends, all because she couldn't bring herself to say goodbye? This was crazy. Cass convinced herself she regretted the words that had just fallen from her lips, she had no right to say them anyway.

She took a step back, her fingers falling out of his as she forced herself to meet his tear stained eyes, leaving the space between them for him to close, the decision his to choose. She felt her heart speed up nervously as he stood there, trying to process all that had just happened. An apology rested on the tip of her tongue, but nothing in her could force it to be spoken; perhaps she had meant the invitation, but…

Varian wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks as he broke into a smile that ignited a fire in his eyes. He looked happier than Cass could ever remember seeing him. “I, uh, I’ll go grab Ruddiger.” he said, his voice hoarse, but overwhelmed with joy anyway.


End file.
